


Thrown to the Wolves

by ouzell



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Bad Boy Sirius, High School, M/M, Marauders' Era, Soft Boy Remus, Young Remus Lupin, Young Sirius Black, homeschooled remus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-08 22:32:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16438073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ouzell/pseuds/ouzell
Summary: As a sheltered werewolf, Remus Lupin has resigned himself to never having a normal life and growing old with his books... yet hes content with his fate.But when Sirius arrives- a traveler with no cares or rules to pin him down- he has second thoughts. Is he really able to let himself be sentenced to such a sad existence when there is so much more out there to be seen?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a cute little side thing I’m writing for fun! Y’all know I love Sirius making Remus uncomfortable with his charisma and gay charm... Let me know if you want more! Chapter 2 is very likely to come soon

   The blissful peace and quiet of what some would call monotony was something that Remus found himself enjoying and valuing all too often. Life’s quiet moments were the ones he chose to notice, in a harsh comparison to the rest of his memories. It wasn’t like having a life-altering disease was socially crippling or anything, whether your secret was known or not. The next full moon’s looming shadow was beginning to dawn quickly, and by the same time next week would have done its damage to his body once more. Already he had some terrible scars, but could only hope that should he earn any more, they not be on his face. As a teenager, his condition was especially debilitating. Just like any other he wanted to fit in, and he could barely face his reflection in the mirror for fear of seeing just how abnormal he was.

   Underneath the criss-cross of scar tissue that felt like it covered his entire body, Remus Lupin was very much a normal boy; fluffy brown hair that fell in his face, a pair of kind eyes the color of tree moss, _and_ he was one of the tallest in his class. Every time he looked at himself, he noticed the things he should have liked to change. The markings, obviously. Then he’d notice the slight slouch in which he stood to keep from hitting his head- oh and the nails bitten to the quicks. It was such a nasty habit, but trying to stop seemed like a meaningless effort at this point. But even further beneath all that, down to his heart and dreams even, he was just like anyone else. He was not so audacious as to hope for a family- let alone a partner to grow old with- but he could resign himself to a humble little place of his own. Maybe he’d get a cat?

   The future was a little hard to focus on when the present was already so hard to get through. Remus was the only one of his kind he knew of, save for the monster that changed him. Every day he was reminded of how alone he was in this struggle by the ease with which the people around him ebbed and flowed. Oh the tides would change every once in a while, but the fish still swam in schools. Besides, he was no fish. He was a shark, with big teeth hidden underneath those comfy sweaters. He deserved the isolation, because it kept them safe. That’s why he’d been homeschooled every year up to this one. It felt like being thrust into society in Vanity Fair or Pride and Prejudice. That was one of his favorites, but he didn’t really tell anyone about that. Not only because it was _way_ too predictable as an Austen fan, but because he kind of didn’t talk to anyone in general. Yes, he was a classic introvert, but he personally felt it was for good reason.

   That same peace and quiet he had come to appreciate so much enveloped him at this moment. Eyes hidden in his hair, (his mother needed to cut it again,) Remus sat beneath his favorite alder. Although this was his safe haven during the day, it was a firm reminder of his nightmares. No one dared enter these woods for they might be met by the same ferocious animal tearing it to pieces in the past. There was no fear present for his own safety, and that was partly because he felt he was the most dangerous thing out there. As for it being a reminder- well, he just thought it was realistic. There was no such thing as an unspoiled memory, anyway. If he could turn anything bad into something good, it might as well have been the trees. Books originated from trees anyway, didn’t they?

   Their family didn’t have very much money for a plethora of reasons, so the books he unpacked were all second-rate and beaten up. That didn’t make a lick of difference to him anymore. When he was young, seeing all the other little boys with new clothes and fancy Peechee folders was upsetting, but that soon became the furthest thing from his mind. Once on a trip to the library, he’d read about a man who made sculptures out of matchsticks, another who used chewing gum, and a third that exclusively used dirt. It was the artist that guided the tool, not the other way around. This was inspiring, but it was a comfort and protector against material envy as well, even if he didn’t plan on making an outlandish sculpture anytime soon.

   He took a deep breath of cool air and let it ruminate in his chest for a moment. This was his last weekend of freedom, and he wanted to savor it. He was dreading Monday morning and the hundreds of eyes that would be on him. He could feel them like bee stings, making his skin itch and lungs contract. He didn’t feel any of that- at least while he was able to relax, let himself enjoy nature, and read. Aside from his studies, this was what he liked to do with his time. The Lupins knew from an early age that their son was going to be lonely, so they’d cultivated his independent interests as best they could. Now a bookworm through and through, it was easy to fit into the recluse stereotype that’d been tacked onto him so barbarically. They were always-

   “Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I’m a little lost- ‘you know the way to a petrol station?”

   There was a moment of confusion as Remus realized that he was being spoken to. How had he not noticed him before? A smirk accompanied eyes the color of-  well, headstones came to mind, though it was grim. Together they completed the haughty features of this stranger, whose face was framed by wavy black locks of wind blown hair. He looked like he’d just stepped out of the pages of a punk rock magazine. It was hard to believe he was real. In his eyes, this was Loki, this was Hades, this _boy_ was the epitome of mischief. He started getting his things together as quickly as he could. “No.” Books were shoved in a bag.

   There was a scoff from the other. “I scare you off that easily?” The black polish on his nails was chipped, worn off of half his fingers. It was only noticeable as he ran his hand through that dark hair. Honestly? Yes, a little bit. What good could come of _this_?

   Remus averted his eyes and stood, fastening the buckles on his bag. “I’m not scared of you.” There was a glance from beneath those chestnut bangs.

   Although he was a little shorter, the confidence exuded in his posture was still enough to intimidate. “Then why’re you off in such a hurry?”

   He slung his bag over his shoulder and shifted in place. How could he get this guy off his back? All Remus wanted was some time alone to read. “Just follow the river- it leads into town.” Hopefully that would satisfy all of his questions.

   “Right, uh… thanks.” Clearly, he thought Remus was a little odd, but that hint of a smile seemed to persist nevertheless. It was a little annoying. The guy shouldered a dingy rucksack. “I’ll leave you to Raskolnikov’s quandary.” He just gave a smug little raise of his eyebrows and started on his way.

   This made his head jerk up to watch the other go. _He_ was a reader of Dostoevsky? That rough young rogue? Well, he should have known not to judge a book by its cover. Still, it didn’t seem prudent to start getting to know handsome strangers, especially so close to his first day of public school. That, and he’d never really ‘gotten to know’ _anyone_ for that matter. And yet, with the sound of leaves crushing beneath those black boots a small part of Remus hoped to see him again, no matter how unrealistic that was.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus strays from the rules for once in his quiet life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YESSS CHAPTER 2 IS FINALLY HERE   
> I did not expect this to be as popular as it was at all, but thank you so much 4 the support!

   In the crisp dawn of autumn, Mrs. Lupin gave a quiet knock against her son’s door.

   Hope was worried- it was his first day of school, and he hadn’t come down for breakfast yet. Most days she chatted with Remus quietly while her husband got ready for work- in this way, he was more like her than his father. It was a guilty pleasure taking relish in their shared imagination, whether they talked about his dreams or books he was reading. This morning, however, when she’d looked up from the eggs crackling in front of her, she found she wasn’t met with that familiar sweet face or cowlicked hair. It struck her as odd- not because he was usually up already, but because this was a day they'd been anticipating for some time now. She knew her son, and she knew that he was the clever, get-up-early-for-special-occasions type. 

   “Remus? Are you awake, dear?” He might not have been feeling well. The full moon was nearing, after all. Anxiety prickled at her nerves, and when he didn’t give any sign that he’d heard her, she started to turn the doorknob.

   Abruptly, the boy spoke. “I- I’m up! I’ll be right down!”

 

 

 

   At promptly 5:11 that morning, it’d been impossible to sleep. Remus woke to sheets soaked with sweat and terrible pangs of body aches so bad they made his fingers stiff. The week before the full moon had only just begun, and already it’s curse was beginning to take its toll on him. Remus was used to the fevers by now, though- the nightmares too- and a hot shower was a simple remedy for the aches and pains. Besides, it wasn’t like he could reschedule this day twice for the same reason. Seeing the hope shot down in his mother’s eyes once already had been enough.

       Deciding what to wear hadn’t been a complicated chore with a uniform, but getting on all the layers involved was a chore and a half. Then, as the sun began to rise, a headache knocked against his temples with cold persistence. For a moment, it was easiest just to close his eyes then and focus on the quiet. That run in with the handsome stranger had been like a bad dream, casting some kind of daze over him for the rest of the day. Only when he finally fell asleep was his mind ever put to rest, along with the rest of his anxieties. Those gray eyes couldn’t be allowed to cast a fog over his mind again, today of all days.

   The sound of the doorknob rattling shook him out of his thoughts. He immediately stuttered out something that would satisfy his mother’s worries without a second thought, hoping she wouldn’t be offended by how long he was taking. Then, he chuckled to himself. ‘ _ I really need to relax _ .’  

 

   Remus had  come down too late for breakfast, but thought that for the best. He didn’t like when his mother noticed the lack of appetite that crept in around this time of month, nor did he want her to spend too much time fussing over him this morning. They’d ushered him to the front door a few minutes later, then sent him off with tearful goodbyes. His walk through the trees was the calm before the storm. Amidst the falling, whispering leaves he tried to find comfort. There were no real memories of this place in his wolf form, but he did have what he could remember from his nightmares, and that was almost worse. All too soon, the imperious building he was heading for came into view. With what positivity he possessed, he tried to turn his anxiety into excitement, but the pit in his stomach continued to roil regardless. There was no use prolonging the inevitable. It was time for him to face the day. 

   Now that he was actually in class, he was more uncertain than ever. The students might as well have been an alien race to him, for the whole lot of them just ogled as their professor introduced him. Almost frantically, his eyes searched the room for a friendly face. With each rapid heartbeat, he met another guarded gaze. There were probably more people in that room than he’d met in his entire life, and it was alarmingly intimidating. In order to avoid having further attention drawn toward him, he just mumbled something along the lines of, ‘thank you’, or, ‘yes sir,’ (he couldn’t think which), and made his way to the far back. It still felt like their eyes were all over him, sticking to every inch of his feverish body like thumbtacks. The lesson was continuing on a book he was sure he’d read before, but it was hopeless trying to focus. ‘ _ No, don’t be idiotic, _ ’ he reminded himself. ‘ _ This is just moon sickness, you’re imagining things. _ ’

   In an effort to calm his nerves, Remus busied his mind; he gazed out at the overcast sky. Outside, the boys Phys. Ed. team played football in the mud; cleats, kneesocks and all. How they were  _ ever _ going to get all those stains out he had no idea, especially the goalie-

   No. Was it really?

   The poor boy had to make sure,  _ really _ make sure, because he just couldn’t believe what he was seeing. A jolt ran down his spine, but his eyes weren’t deceiving him. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind, that was the same unkempt black hair he’d seen just the day before. For a moment, he observed out of curiosity. While he didn’t block every goal, the guy did play hard. A few times already he’d made some merciless, brutal dives into the ground to guard the borders of that net.

   It was only when an older man stepped up to the edge of the field that they stopped. Even in the rain they looked overheated and out of breath, which in his weakened state he could understand. He looked on as the student was mysteriously led off of the field. It looked oddly serious, not that he knew why. 

   “Lupin!” Pulling him out of his thoughts was like pulling a stick out of mud. He finally fell back to reality and looked up at the professor’s stern voice. “You’re wanted in the headmaster’s office.”

 

 

 

   Without a word from his escort, Remus was left to wonder as he was led down silent corridors. Was he being spoken to directly by the headmaster as a new student? Surely he couldn’t have been in trouble for daydreaming in class, the professor would have said something about that first, wouldn’t he? His anxieties were all quieted when he finally reached the office; not because he was calm, but because they were drowned out by one much bigger one. There sat the handsome boy from before, mud splattered all the way from his cleats to his shorts. In fact, even his face had flecks of mud on it. Their eyes met before he even sat down, which instantly made his face annoyingly hot.

   Those misty eyes lit up in recognition, and the young man smiled as he sat up. “Well well well, we meet again.”

    Remus gulped, then slowly took a seat next to him. His skin itched- they were practically touching. “...Hi.” With rigidity, he set his hefty bookbag down.

   The other lounged to his left, casually elegant in every movement. “You’re dreadfully quiet, aren’t you?”

   With an awkward glance, “Er, yes. I suppose I am.”

   There was a chuckle. For a moment, the louder of the two just observed in silence. While it was easier than a whole classroom full, his gaze still burned as Remus felt himself being looked over. “Sirius Black.” With a ringed ginger, he pointed to himself. “And I could use a friend who knows his way around this place.” One of those ivory hands was held out with a smile. He wanted to be friends, no doubt brought on in part by their run in the day before.

   The fluidity of his manner, the way his smile disconnected from his mischievous eyes, the fact that he seemed unperturbed sitting in front of the headmaster’s office; it was a struggle to pay attention while the other spoke. Like a character from a novel come to life, he walked and talked with every bit of rebellion and grace described on the pages. It was impolite to stare, but after all the built up apprehension and stress he found Sirius’ easygoing manner comforting. Tentatively, he shook the hand he’d offered with a scarred one of his own, then tried to speak more clearly than before. “I’m-“

   “Remus Lupin.” He almost jumped. The door next to them had opened, and the important looking woman that’d said his name stood next to it impatiently.

   This was only half as startling as feeling Sirius’ reassuring hand on his shoulder. Quickly, he turned to the young man, who seemed unperturbed. “Don’t worry, the cane’s not as bad as they say.”

   “Cane?”

 

 

 

   The malicious glint of those scissors was all he could see, only half listening as the headmaster went on. No, Remus hadn’t been called to the office due to his new student status and no, there was no cane prepared to rap his knuckles. Instead, they’d confronted him with the fact that his hair was ‘too long’ for school policy. From what he could understand, he was given an ultimatum; either they cut his hair in that moment and he stayed in class, or he’d be sent home with a note to his parents that he couldn’t return unless he followed the dress code. 

   Immediately, it all struck him as entirely unfair. He scoffed with a mix of scorn and disbelief. “Surely there must be some other way.” Whether he brushed it or not, the young Lupin was quite attached to his hair. It was his safety blanket; it played an important part in hiding his scars, not to mention the rest of his face. To hear that breathy ‘ _ snip _ ’ and to feel the cold absence on his ears- he couldn’t bear it.

   But what would he tell his parents? Once already he’d canceled this day, too sick to follow through. How could he break it to his mother again, and for what seemed like a ridiculous reason? With shame and embarrassment, he realized that tears were pushing at the back of his eyes and at the lump in his throat. It was all he could do to hold himself together and listen.

   “I’m afraid not, Mr. Lupin.” Those shears were readied at his right once more, leering at him with every gleam in the light. Clearly, he wasn’t the first and clearly, they expected him to cooperate. “This all could have easily been avoided if you’d read the regulations handbook.”

   Reflexively, he stepped away, distancing himself as if they were already clipping at his head. That was it- there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt that he couldn’t let those things near him, responsibility or not. “Stay away from me.” Remus’ words were so quiet he was sure they couldn’t hear him at first. It took more courage, but he forced his voice to raise. “Your policy is out of date and completely absurd.”

   The headmaster looked indignant at such an outrageous response. “Excuse me?” 

   “You heard me.” His heart was racing and his cheeks felt warm, but the young man stood his ground. They couldn’t exactly hold him down and cut his hair as punishment, could they? He tried to banish the thought from his mind and replace it instead with courage. “The whole thing is a load of bollocks if you ask me.”

  “If you recall,” A pursed lipped smile made his ears burn in silence as he listened, “We  _ didn’t  _ ask you. And we won’t be asking the young man outside for  _ his _ opinion either. It is not up to the students what rules are upheld and how.” The headmaster had already risen to his feet, stern brow furrowed, “To be quite honest, I am astonished by your behavior here today, and hope you are aware that it is entirely unbecoming of one of my students.”

   Remus could barely contain himself. The injustice was hard to endure. His temper flared, and he found himself completely disregarding anything but the feeling of resentment that’d been slowly growing bigger and bigger as they spoke. “I’d rather  _ die _ than be one of your beastly students.” The woman holding the shears opened her mouth in shock, but he ignored her entirely. All he could see was the headmaster, frozen in cold, repressed wrath. He’d never seen an adult so angry. For a moment, he stood dumbfounded at his own unruly behavior. Quickly he regained composure and realized that that was his queue to leave. It was with clammy hands that he grabbed the doorknob behind him and exited the office. As soon as he heard the click of the door closing behind him, he chuckled in disbelief. He wasn’t the only one surprised, however.

   “Well, I’m gonna have to work pretty hard to outshine  _ that _ .”

   To the werewolf’s dismay, he instantly felt a hot blush wash over his face. In his mood he’d practically forgotten that Sirius was even there, but Remus knew without a doubt he’d overheard every moment of his terrible behavior. Avoiding eye contact, he reached for his bag. “I shouldn’t’ve let my temper get the better of me.”

   The black haired boy only scoffed, “No, it was wicked!” Then, he stood with that same casual style and smirk. “I mean technically, you stood up for me.”

   That sly expression was hard to interpret, which only made him fumble over his words. “I- I just- I didn’t want-”

   “If you don’t mind waiting, I can give you a ride home- I was probably going to skip at lunch anyway.”

   Skip school? It was exactly the opposite kind of person Remus thought he’d befriend, but he  _ was _ the only familiar face. “Thanks.” A simple answer, but it made all the difference. It was hard to believe- was he really skipping his first day of school with Sirius Black, a boy he’d only officially met minutes before?

   “Brilliant!” The other made his way to the door, but stopped with his hand on the knob. “Now watch this.” And with only a devilish grin to anticipate exactly what ‘this’ was, the door opened and shut the door behind him.

   At once, an audible commotion rose. Remus could hear the young man’s raised voice inside, accompanied by the stern tones of both professors. It was shocking to hear someone yell so readily at an authority figure, not to mention the sound of something like a struggle. All he could imagine was the headmaster being tackled, which would have made him laugh if he weren’t so worried. Then, after more yelling about ‘nonsense rules’ and some well selected obscenities, the door burst open. His green eyes widened, “What-” but there wasn’t a moment to lose. Faster than he could blink, his hand was grabbed and Sirius was pulling him down the corridor with haste and a breathless, roguish laugh, as if this happened every day.

   “C’mon, I think they’re calling the ‘pigs on me!”

   “‘Pigs?’”

    They rushed down the leaf-laden front steps, but he only chuckled at Remus’ innocence. “The fuzz, Remus- the police!” It was said with exhilaration, as if it were an exciting development.

   Whereas this was something that filled him with dread, he found it was also a little bit of a guilty thrill. This notion was only driven home in the shy boy’s mind when he caught sight of their ‘ride’; a gleaming motorbike, defiant in its very nature just like its owner. Without even knowing it, this was what Remus had been waiting for- a knight to rescue him on his white horse, just like in the books. Only this was no white knight; this was a rascal straddling his motorcycle and daring him to climb aboard with a fiendish look in his eye.

   Noticing this hesitation, Sirius patted the bike and spoke reassuringly. “Don’t be frightened, she doesn’t bite.” Then, with a wink and an enticing smile, he said something that made that werewolf heart skip a beat. “But I might.”


End file.
